Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 in tackling instances of damp in social housing stock.

All homes should be safe, decent, and warm. The government is committed to introducing Awaab’s Law to the social rented sector as soon as possible. Awaab’s Law forms part of the Social Housing Regulation Act and will set new time limits for social landlords to fix dangerous hazards, including damp and mold. Once regulations are in force, all social landlords will have to comply with the requirements of Awaab’s Law. If they do not, residents will be able to hold their social landlords to account by taking legal action through the courts or seeking redress through the Housing Ombudsman Service.

All registered providers of social housing are also required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing. Under the Safety and Quality Standard, landlords must take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes and provide an effective and timely repairs service for the homes for which they are responsible. As part of the new consumer regime facilitated by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, the Regulator has begun carrying out regular inspections of large landlords to seek evidence they are delivering the outcomes of the standards.